Objective: To explore the advantages of a new diagnostic method based on characteristic cells and specific markers in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: 60 patients with RA admitted to the Second People’ s Hospital of Jingdezhen from January 2023 to October 2024 were selected as observation group, and 60 healthy people with the same gender ratio who received the same examination were included in control group. The basic data, levels of four rheumatic indicators [rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody, C-reactive protein (CRP), antistreptolysin O (ASO)], expression levels of CD25+ in CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes (CD25+CD4+, CD25+CD8+) and positive rates of Pentraxin (PTX3) antibody and anti-dual-specificity phosphatases (DUSP11) were compared between groups, and the efficiency of the above indicators in the diagnosis of RA was analyzed. Results: The levels of RF, anti-CCP antibody, CRP, ASO, CD25+CD4+ and CD25+CD8+ in blood samples in observation group were higher than those in control group (P<0.05). ROC curve analysis revealed that the AUCs of serum RF, anti-CCP antibody, CRP, ASO, CD25+CD4+ and CD25+CD8+ for RA diagnosis were 0.894 (95%CI: 0.825-0.943), 0.797 (95%CI: 0.714-0.865), 0.847 (95%CI: 0.770- 0.906), 0.800 (95%CI: 0.717-0.867), 0.961 (95%CI: 0.909-0.988) and 0.967 (95%CI: 0.917-0.991), and the sensitivities were 90.00%, 76.67%, 83.33%, 73.33%, 93.33% and 93.33%, and the specificities were 75.00%, 91.67%, 71.67%, 80.00%, 91.67% and 93.33% respectively. The sensitivities of anti-PTX3 antibody and anti-DUSP11 antibody in diagnosing RA were 6.67% and 10.00%, the specificities were 73.33% and 70.00%, the positive predictive values were 20.00% and 25.00%, the negative predictive values were 44.00% and 43.75%, and the accuracy rates were 40% and 40%. Conclusion: The new diagnostic method based on characteristic cells and specific markers has certain value in the diagnosis of RA, and it can reflect the risk of RA to a certain extent and provide important support for clinical diagnosis and treatment.